People of the Book
Episodes
Encore Presentation: Remember to Eat and Other Stories by Meryl Ain
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl Ain is a writer, author, podcaster, and career educator. Her newest book, Remember to Eat and Other Stories was published in January. She is als...
REMEMBER TO EAT AND OTHER STORIES: Meryl Ain in conversation with Stewart Ain and Randi Brenowitz
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl Ain is a writer, author, podcaster, and career educator. Her newest book, Remember to Eat and Other Stories was published in January. She is als...
Jeff Weiss: FIGHTING BACK, Stan Andrews and the Birth of the Israeli Air Force
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Jeff Weiss about his book, Fighting Back: Stan Andrews and the Birth of the Israeli Air Force, which he co-wrote with his brother, Cr...
Encore Presentation: Alex Kor: A Blessing, Not a Burden, a memoir from the child of two Holocaust survivors
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Alex Kor about his 2024 memoir, A Blessing, Not a Burden, which chronicles his incredible journey as the child of two Holocaust survi...
Sharon Gloger Friedman: THE OTHER EMMA
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Sharon Gloger Friedman about historical fiction, and her recently released novel, The Other Emma. Set in the Gilded Age, a young girl...
Kitty Zeldis: ONE OF THEM
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Kitty Zeldis about her new novel, One of Them, a story about two young women at Vassar in the years after World War II. It is a tale ...
AJ Sidransky on his new memoir: PLUMS, PAPRIKA, AND GHOSTS
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with A.J. Sidransky about his new memoir, Plums, Paprika & Ghosts. It’s a chronicle of the trip he took with his 27-year-old-son Jak...
Julie Brill on HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: A Family Memoir and the Untold Story of the Holocaust in Serbia
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl Ain chats with Julie Brill, the author of Hidden in Plain Sight: A Family Memoir and the Untold Story of the Holocaust in Serbia. They discuss h...
Marilyn Simon Rothstein: humor and realism in WHO LOVES YOU BEST, a novel about competing grandmothers
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Marilyn Simon Rothstein about her new novel, Who Loves You Best. It’s the story of three very different grandmothers competing for ...
Julie Metz: Eva and Eve—A Search for My Mother's Lost Childhood and What a War Left Behind
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Julie Metz about her memoir, Eva and Eve, which chronicles her research journey to discover her mother’s hidden past in Nazi-occupi...
Jacqueline Friedland: fertility, inequality, reproductive rights, and bodily autonomy in COUNTING BACKWARDS
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Jacqueline Friedland about her new novel, Counting Backwards (March 2025), a dual-timeline novel which explores fertility, inequality...
Encore Presentation: STRADDLING BLACK AND WHITE: Kim Salzman's novel about the immigration of Ethiopian Jewry to Israel
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Kim Salzman about her historical fiction novel, Straddling Black and White, the story of fourteen-year-old Azmera, who takes part in ...
Alex Kor: A Blessing, Not a Burden, a memoir from the child of two holocaust survivors
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Alex Kor about his 2024 memoir, A Blessing, Not a Burden, which chronicles his incredible journey as the child of two Holocaust survi...
Arthur Fischman: Meryl's 99 year old bibliophile cousin talks life and books
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with her bibliophile cousin, 99-year-old Arthur Fischman, about his love of reading. During the past three years, he’s read 235 books on...
Michelle Cameron discusses her new novel, Napoleon's Mirage, sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Napoleon’s Mirage (November 12, 2024). They discuss how Michelle came to write this sequel to Beyond ...
Bylines and Blessings: Judy Gruen's memoir about balancing career, family, and Jewish values
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Judy Gruen about her 2024 memoir, Bylines and Blessings, which chronicles her journey to pursue a career in journalism with an Orthod...
Encore Presentation: Meryl Frank's memoir UNEARTHED & the important lessons of the Holocaust
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Meryl Frank about her new memoir, Unearthed: A Lost Actress, a Forbidden Book, and a Search for Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust. ...
Esther Goldenberg chats with Meryl about researching & writing The Scrolls of Deborah
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Esther Goldenberg about her new novel, The Scrolls of Deborah, Book One in the Desert Songs Trilogy. They discuss how Esther came to ...
Rabbi Menachem Creditor, Dr. Ora Horn Prouser These Holy Days: A High Holiday Supplement After Oct 7
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Rabbi Menachem Creditor and Dr. Ora Horn Prouser about their new collection of High Holiday supplemental readings that were written i...
Gila Green, author of WITH A GOOD EYE on People of the Book with Meryl Ain
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Gila Green about her new novel, With A Good Eye. The book tells the story of 19-year-old Luna Levi and her struggles with her dysfunc...
Talia Carner discusses the historical origins of THE BOY WITH THE STAR TATTOO
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Talia Carner about her new novel, The Boy With the Star Tattoo, including the top secret Israeli operation that took place in Cherbou...
Robert Yaffe, author of RELINQUISHED chats with Meryl Ain about his search for his birth family
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Robert Yaffe about his 2024 memoir, Relinquished, which chronicles his 30-year search to discover his closed adoption roots. He share...
Shadows We Carry Anniversary Presentation: Meryl Ain in conversation with readers
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the one year anniversary of SHADOWS WE CARRY, please enjoy this encore presentation of Meryl Ain in conversation with avid readers and ac...
Encore Presentation: Michelle Cameron and Babylon, a novel of Jewish captivity
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity (September 12, 2023). They discuss how Michelle came to write abou...
Encore presentation: Rabbi Menachem Creditor, Am Yisrael Chai
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Enjoy this encore presentation: Meryl chats with Rabbi Menachem Creditor about his insights as part of the recent UJA-Federation mission to Israel, th...
OFF TO JOIN THE CIRCUS: Deborah Kalb chats with Meryl about her delightful family saga
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl talks with Deborah Kalb about her new novel, Off to Join the Circus, which is about an overly enmeshed, neurotic Jewish family in the Washington...
STRADDLING BLACK AND WHITE: Kim Salzman's novel about the immigration of Ethiopian Jewry to Israel
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Kim Salzman about her historical fiction novel, Straddling Black and White, the story of fourteen-year-old Azmera, who takes part in ...
PLACES WE LEFT BEHIND with Jennifer Lang: a memoir about marriage, family, faith and life in Israel
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Jennifer Lang about her unique memoir, Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature, which is an examination of her marriage, family,...
Am Yisrael Chai: a timely, moving interview with author and scholar Rabbi Menachem Creditor
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Rabbi Menachem Creditor about his insights as part of the recent UJA-Federation mission to Israel, the impact of October 7 on Jews th...
The Prophetess: Evonne Marzouk talks her new novel, Israel and the global increase in antisemitism
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Evonne Marzouk about her novel, The Prophetess. They discuss how Evonne came to write and publish the book over the course of 20 year...
Babylon: Michelle Cameron discusses her new novel, the Babylonian exile, and its meaning for today
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity (September 12, 2023). They discuss how Michelle came to write abou...
UNEARTHED: Meryl Frank talks about her new memoir & the important lessons of the Holocaust
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Meryl Frank about her new memoir, Unearthed: A Lost Actress, a Forbidden Book, and a Search for Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust. ...
BESSIE: Author Linda Kass chats with Meryl about her new historical fiction novel
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Linda Kass about her new novel, Bessie (September 12, 2023). They discuss Bess Myerson’s early life and her crowning as the first a...
THE MARRIAGE BOX: Corie Adjmi joins Meryl Ain for a wide ranging discussion sparked by her new novel
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl talks with Corie Adjmi about her new novel, The Marriage Box, the story of Casey Cohen, a sixteen-year-old in New Orleans in the 1970s. When Cas...
A.J. Sidransky and Miriam Abrahams discuss INCIDENT AT SAN MIGUEL, based on events in Abrahams' family
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with A.J. Sidransky and Miriam Abrahams about A.J’s new book, Incident at San Miguel, a novel about two brothers on opposite sides of Ca...
Encore Presentation: Becca Kantor, editorial director of the Jewish Book Council and Paper Brigade
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Becca Kantor about the history and mission of Jewish Book Council and its annual literary journal, Paper Brigade. They also discuss c...
THE SYRIAN SUNSET: a sweeping novel of international intrigue about the Syrian Civil War.
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Howard Kaplan about his new novel, The Syrian Sunset, a sweeping novel of international intrigue about the Syrian Civil War.Howard Ka...
Renee Weingarten, founder of Renee’s Reading Club, in conversation with Meryl Ain, author of Shadows We Carry
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Renee Weingarten, founder of the Facebook group, Renee’s Reading Club, chats with Meryl Ain about her new Historical Fiction novel, Shadows We Carry...
Special Presentation: Meryl Ain, author of SHADOWS WE CARRY, discusses the book with readers
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Avid readers and activists in the Jewish community, Randi Brenowitz and Bayla Lovens chat with Meryl Ain about her new book, Shadows We Carry, the seq...
ONCE WE WERE HOME: author Jennifer Rosner discusses her new novel with Meryl Ain
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Jennifer Rosner about her new novel, Once We Were Home (March 14, 2023). Note: Here is the link to the event Meryl talks about at th...
Women's History Month Encore Presentation: FRANKLY FEMINIST with Susan Weidman Schneider
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Susan Weidman Schneider, editor-in-chief of Lilith Magazine, about the anthology she co-edited, Frankly Feminist, which features 44 s...
Encore Presentation for Women’s History Month: Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Rabbi Sandy Sasso about her mission of engaging the religious imagination of children through her books, and her career as one of the...
OUR LYING KIN: author Claudia Long discusses the weight of family secrets with Meryl Ain
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl Ain chats with Claudia Long about her 2023 novel, Our Lying Kin, the sequel to Nine Tenths of the Law. Both books are about two sisters who seek...
Becca Kantor, editorial director of the Jewish Book Council and Paper Brigade chats with Meryl Ain
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Becca Kantor about the history and mission of Jewish Book Council and its annual literary journal, Paper Brigade. They also discuss c...
Linda Pressman chats with host Meryl Ain about her new memoir, JEWISH GIRLS GONE WILD
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Linda Pressman about her memoir, Jewish Girls Gone Wild, a coming-of-age story about her life in Arizona after her parents transplant...
Robin Kall, host of "Reading with Robin" and "The Cardigan Connection", chats with Meryl about all things books
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Robin Kall about her career as a book broadcaster, book influencer and organizer of book events. In a freewheeling conversation, they...
Kitty Zeldis chats with Meryl Ain about her new release, THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Kitty Zeldis about her 2022 novel, The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights, which takes readers into the lives of three very different wo...
Author Deborah Levison chats with host Meryl Ain about her debut novel, A Nest of Snakes
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Deborah Levison about her 2022 novel, A Nest of Snakes, a harrowing story of abuse, complicity, and trauma. They also discuss The Cra...
Meryl Ain chats with Nora Gold, editor of JewishFiction.net, about Jewish literature and also Nora's books
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Nora Gold about JewishFiction.net, the prestigious online literary journal, which she founded and is the editor-in-chief. In addition...
Richard Kaye and Annette Schwarz Kaye chat with Meryl Ain about their new memoir, Revelation
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Rick and Annette Schwarz Kaye about their 2022 memoir, Revelation, which chronicles Rick’s shocking discovery of his biological ori...
Episode 20: Meryl chats with Zibby Owens
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Zibby Owens about her new memoir, Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, in which she shares her personal journey of loss,...
Meryl Ain interviews investigative journalist Isabel Vincent, author of Overture of Hope: Two Sisters' Daring Plan That Saved Opera's Jewish Stars from the Third Reich
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode of People of the Book, Meryl chats with Isabel Vincent about her new book, Overture of Hope: Two Sisters’ Daring Plan That Save...
Episode 18: Meryl and husband Stewart chat with kidney donor and author Martha Gershun
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl and her husband Stewart Ain, a veteran journalist and recent kidney recipient, chat with Martha Gershun about her book, Kidney to Share (2021), ...
Episode 17: Meryl chats with author Elan Barnehama about his new book, Escape Route
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Elan Barnehama about his new novel, Escape Route, which takes place in the late 1960s during the War in Vietnam. It is a coming-of-ag...
Episode 16: Meryl chats with Susan Weidman Schneider, co-editor of Frankly Feminist
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Susan Weidman Schneider, editor-in-chief of Lilith Magazine, about the anthology she co-edited, Frankly Feminist, which features 44 s...
Meryl chats with Jacquie Herz, author of The Circumference of Silence
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Jacquie Herz about her 2021 novel, Circumference of Silence, which draws on her family’s memories as Jews in Europe under Hitler an...
Meryl chats with Ruth Rotkowitz and Rose Ross
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Rose Ross and Ruth Rotkowitz about their post-Holocaust novels, which were influenced by their first-hand experiences as children of ...
Meryl Interviews Roni Robbins, author of Hands of Gold
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Roni Robbins about her 2022 novel, Hands of Gold, which is loosely based on her paternal grandfather’s cassette tapes. Using litera...
Meryl interviews Brad Kolodny, author of The Jews of Long Island 1705-1918
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Brad Kolodny about his new book, The Jews of Long Island 1705-1918, which chronicles the roots of the Jewish experience on Long Islan...
Meryl chats with Jacqueline Friedland, author of He Gets That From Me.
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Jacqueline Friedland about her new novel, He Gets That From Me (September 2021), which tells the story of a young woman who serves as...
Episode 10: Meryl chats with Marilyn Simon Rothstein
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Marilyn Simon Rothstein about how she combines her Jewish background and her robust sense of humor in her recently released novel, Cr...
Episode 9: Meryl interviews Lois Schaffer, author of From Bullet to Bullhorn
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Lois Schaffer about her new book, From Bullet to Bullhorn and her 2013 book, The Unthinkable: Life, Loss and a Mother’s Mission to ...
Meryl Chats with Rabbi Dan Ornstein about his book, Cain v. Abel : A Jewish Courtroom Drama
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Rabbi Dan Ornstein about his book, Cain v. Abel : A Jewish Courtroom Drama, and the timeless issues it raises about the world’s fir...
Meryl chats with Sharon Gloger Friedman
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Sharon Gloger Friedman about historical fiction, her recently released novel, In Freedom’s Light, and her 2019 award-winning book, ...
People of the Book ep 6 -- Meryl interviews Esther Amini
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Esther Amini about her 2020 memoir, Concealed, which chronicles her childhood and coming of age in a Persian-Jewish household in Quee...
Meryl interviews Dan Grunfeld, author of By the Grace of the Game
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Dan about his new book, By the Grace of the Game, which chronicles his family’s journey from the Holocaust to the NBA, the essentia...
Meryl talks with Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Rabbi Sandy Sasso about her mission of engaging the religious imagination of children through her books, and her career as one of the...
Ep. 3: Meryl interviews Thane Rosenbaum about his new non-fiction book -- Saving Free Speech…from Itself.
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Thane about Holocaust literature, Holocaust writers, his own post-Holocaust fiction, and his new non-fiction book, Saving Free Speech...
Ep 2: Julie Zuckerman and The Book of Jeremiah
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Julie Zuckerman about her novel-in-stories, The Book of Jeremiah, and what it’s like to be an English-speaking writer in Israel, wh...
An interview with Michelle Cameron: Beyond the Ghetto Gates
11 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryl chats with Michelle Cameron about her novel, Beyond The Ghetto Gates, which tells the little known story of how Napoleon liberated the Jewish Gh...